In 1977, 16-year-old Dawn Momohara walked out of her Honolulu home, expecting a normal night with friends. She never came back. By morning, her body was discovered inside McKinley High School—sexually assaulted, strangled, and abandoned in a crime that shattered the community. Despite intense investigations, there were no arrests, no leads, and no answers for nearly 48 years. But science had other plans.
In this episode of Beneath the Palms, we unravel the decades-long fight for justice:
How new DNA technology and forensic genealogy finally identified Dawn’s killer.
The relentless investigators who never gave up.
The terrifying reality of how many cold cases remain unsolved.
Justice has come. But it came too late.
👤 Have Information? Help Solve Cold Cases
📞 Honolulu Police Department Cold Case Unit: tel:+18085293111
📞 CrimeStoppers Honolulu: tel:+18089558300
📞 National Crime Stoppers Hotline: tel:+18002228477
🔗 Sources & References
This episode was researched using:
📜 Court records, FBI case files, and investigative reports.
📰 Honolulu Star-Advertiser → Read More
📰 Hawaii News Now → Read More
📰 Civil Beat → Read More
🏛️ Official law enforcement records & case files.
🎵 Music Credit
🎶 Huge mahalo to Yoza for the intro & outro music.
🎧 Her song Obsession sets the tone every time.
📸 Follow Yoza on Instagram → @YozaMusic
🌎 Stream her music on all platforms → YozaMusic.com
📲 Follow the Podcast for Updates & Discussions
📸 Instagram: BeneathThePalmsPodcast
🔔 Listen Now on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
🌎 Website, Patreon, and Merch—Coming Soon!
#TrueCrime #ColdCase #DawnMomohara #HawaiiCrime #ForensicGenealogy #DNAJustice #UnsolvedMurder #TrueCrimePodcast #BeneathThePalms #HonoluluCrime #CrimePodcast #JusticeForDawn #CrimeCommunity #SolvedColdCase #TrueCrimeAddict
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